In the ever-evolving world of SEO, the question of whether to target singular or plural keywords is a subject of ongoing debate. This question is especially pertinent for ecommerce businesses, where the right keyword strategy can make or break your sales. A recent data study by Search Engine Journal delves into how plural keywords impact search intent, and the findings are eye-opening. In this blog post, we’ll explore these insights and discuss how you can leverage them to optimize your ecommerce SEO strategy.
The Singular vs. Plural Dilemma
When optimizing content, SEO professionals often face a choice: should they focus on the singular or plural version of a keyword? This decision becomes even more critical when dealing with large ecommerce sites, where you have to decide which version to use on product detail pages (PDPs) and category pages.
What We Know About Plural Keywords and Search Intent
The general consensus has been that singular keywords are often informational, while plural keywords are more likely to be part of a buyer’s commercial research journey. For example, a user searching for “headless CMS” is likely looking for information, whereas someone searching for “headless CMSes” is probably considering buying options.
Data-Backed Insights
Analyzing Keyword Intent
The study found that singular keywords dominate in most search intents except for commercial queries. Singular keywords are:
- 65% more likely to have informational intent
- 46% more likely to have transactional intent
- 27% more likely to have navigational intent
The only area where plural keywords had an edge was in commercial queries, albeit by a small margin of 5%.
SERP Similarity
Interestingly, 50% of the time, the SERPs for singular and plural versions of the keyword share seven to nine URLs. This suggests that the intent for both versions often overlaps, and you can expect to rank for both on the same page.
Practical Implications for Your Ecommerce SEO Strategy
- Category Pages: Given their commercial intent, plural keywords are more suitable for category pages aimed at helping users find products they want to buy.
- Product Detail Pages: Singular keywords, which are more likely to have transactional intent, should be used for product pages.
- Intent Complexity: Search intent is not static; it evolves over time. As Google’s algorithms become more sophisticated, understanding the nuances of search intent becomes increasingly crucial.
- Automation Limits: While it may be tempting to automate keyword selection, the grammatical number can completely change a keyword’s meaning, making manual oversight essential.
The data supports the SEO best practice that plural keywords are more aligned with commercial research, while singular keywords serve a broader range of intents. By understanding these nuances, ecommerce businesses can better align their SEO strategies with user intent, leading to higher conversions and sales.
Looking to optimize your ecommerce website for maximum conversions? Contact us today for a comprehensive SEO strategy tailored to your business needs.
